Steps

1.
I use a handy fat sushi roll mold that I bought at a 100 yen shop, but you can also use a sushi mat. After rinsing the rice, I strain it and let it sit for 30 minutes. Then, I make small cuts on both sides of the konbu, add it to the rice together with sake, and then cook the rice. Next, I mix in the seasoned rice vinegar and cool off the rice with a hand-held fan. Finally, I put a damp cloth over the rice.

2.
The next step is to gather the filling ingredients. Shredded egg crepes, cucumbers, squid, salmon (either cheap smoked salmon or sashimi), and fresh, sashimi grade tuna. This will complete your color palatte of yellow, green, white, orange and red. Aside from the shredded egg crepe, all the ingredients should be cut lengthwise. For adults, use squid or salmon, together with a touch of wasabi.

3.
Wet the inner surface of the mold each time with water. Fill the mold with sushi rice, lay a 1/2 sheet of sushi nori in the center, arrange the fillers inside the nori, taking care to balance the colors, and seal the nori around fillers. Fill the rest of the mold with sushi rice and press the cover on.

4.
Drop the contents onto a sheet of sushi nori and roll to create an instant futomaki fat sushi roll! Even after making 5 rolls, a small bowl of sushi rice is left over. You can use that to make a mini Tekkadon (sushi rice topped with thin-sliced raw tuna sashimi) or Nattodon (sushi rice topped with fermented soy beans).

5.
Cut them to serve. If you want to use less rice, just add more ingredients, if you please.

6.
Since my eldest son loves any kind of sashimi tuna, I fill these with plenty of tuna.

Story Behind this Recipe

Since year after year, my family won't eat store-bought ehomaki, so I make them at home with seafood filling. By serving home-made ehomaki, I can save money, too.

Helpful Hints

With about 720 to 900 ml of rice I was able to make 5 sushi rolls with a little bit of leftover sushi rice. Wrapping them with a sushi mat is, of course, OK! My kids and husband don't really like futomaki with dried gourd shavings or denbu (dried fish flakes), so I made ones that they would like. For those using store-bought sushi vinegar, please use 135 ml.